Ignition apparatus



W` B. MOSES.

IGNITION APPARATUSJ n APPLlcAUoN man APR. 8, 191s.

Patented June 2s, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR WIB/1105125 ATTORNEY W` B. MOSES.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLlcAxoN FILED APR. 8. 191s.

`ZSHEET'S-SHEE'IT 2.

PatentedJne 28, 1921..

` |NvENToR WBMQSES.

BY 044e@ ATTORNEY UNITED STATES WILLIAM B. MOSES, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GRAY & DAVIS Y PATENTv OFFICE.

INC., OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IGNITION APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 8, 1918. SerialNo. 227,184.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that. I, lViLLnxw B. Mosns, a citizen of the Fnited States, residing at lVatertown. in the county of Middlesex and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to ignition apparatusand with regard to certain` more specific features thereof to interrupter and distributer devices particularly adapted for use with multi-cylinder internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide simple and reliably operative means for insuring adequate sparking in the engine cylinders at any of the possible en ine speeds.

Other ob]ects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter. The invention accordinglyv consists of the various-features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified by the construction hereinafter set forth and thel scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. A

In the drawings wherein is shown one of various possible embodiments of the inventiony Figure l. is a view in vertical central section through a breaker-distributer comprising features of the invention.

Fig. 2. is a plan view of the breaker mechanism, the distributer cap and arm being removed.

Fig. 3. is a plan view of the centrifugal device which governs the position of one of the breaker cams, the breakers and their supporting plates being removed.

Fig. 4. is a. sectional view of one of `the supporting plates and its associated breaker mechanism.

Referring now more particularly -to the drawings there is indicated at l a goblet shaped housing having a stein 2 which serves as a journal for a vertical work shaft 3, and having a bowl 4 within which the centrifugal controlling device and the breaker mechanism are arranged. The shaft 3 is driven in timed relation to the engine crank shaft and fixed upon the shaft 3 for rotation therewith are the spider 5 and the actuating cam 6. The spider carries pivotally mounted thereon the arms 7 and 8, the

pivots being shown at 9 and 10 in Fig. 3, and the opposite ends of these arms are held normally' inward by a spring and link connection indicated at 11. ing strap l2 of thin sheet metal has an upper fiat face against which av cam 13 is secured. The actuating shaft 3 loosely penetrates this strap and cam` and the strap is bent downwardly at opposite sides of the shaft and then outwardly in the form of flat. radially extending arms. Contractile sprin s l5 and l'respectively connect an end 1l of each of said arms to substantially Patented Julie 28, 1921.

A cam carry- I diametrically opposed arlns 18 and 19 of the spider 5. Each arm end 17 is pivotally connected by a link 20 to the yielding ends of the centrifugal arms T and 8 respectively. The arms T and 8 carry fixed pins 2l depending in arcuate slots 2Q formed in the spider 5, the same serving to limit the outward ymovement of the arms. It will be ob vious from the foregoing that should the shaft 3 be rotated at high speed the arms T and 8 would lnove outwardly around their pivot-a1 mountings 9 'and 10 and against the influence of the springs 15 and 16. This would cause a variation in the angular relationship between the spider and the cam 13 for a purpose which will more clearly hereinafter appear.

The centrifugal governing device having been described reference will now be had to the interrupter or breaker mechanism. It will be noted that the bowl 4 about midway up is provided with a pair of spaced horizont-al ledges 30. These serve respectively as locating means for a pair of separate breaker-supporting plates 3l and 32, the plate 3l being mounted upon thelower ledge by means of screws 33, and the plate 32 being mounted upon the upper ledge by means of screws 34. A slight range of relat-ive angular adjustment is permitted between the plates by means of the slots 35 and the said screws 34.

Each supporting plate has a breakermechanism thereon and as both are substantially identical a description of one will suffice. The plate 32 for instance has an upstanding portion 40 turned inwardly at 4l forming an ear 42 between which and the plate proper a contact-carrying arm or member 43 is pivotally located. The portion 41 has 4also a downwardly extending arm 44 to which is secured a spring finger rebound device 45 which serves to counteract the iniuence of the actuating shock. The finger is positioned to beI in position slightly away from a roller 46 carried by the arm 43 and is effective when the carrying arm is thrown out by the actuating portions of the cam 6. The momentum of the arm due to the shock of actuation tends to throw the roller 46 out of contact with the actuating dwell whereupon the spring finger 45 acts as a resilient limiting stop and return device.

The cont-act carrying arm is of sheet metal of electrical conductivity andis forked to straddle the cam-roller 46. The sides 50 merge at the free end of the arm and a convtact point 51 of platinum alloy or the like is carried at the junction. This contact is known as the movable Contact distinguished from the fixed contact 52 with which it coperates and which is carried by a block 53 fixed upon the platev 32. A leaf spring 54 has one en d bearing against the upstanding portion 40, its body curved around the pivot post of the carrying arm and its other end brought in around and secured to a pin 56 extending between the tines. The tendency of this spring is to yieldingly press the arm 43 to a position of contacting engagement.

, By the use of two interrupter mechanisms and with the parts positioned as shown a single rotation of the work shaft will produce twelve breaks in the primary circuit, using only a six point cam. It will be noted that the cam 6 has six equi-spaced high portions 60 having short actuating dwells. These portions act to successively engage the cam rollers and open the contact sets of the breaker mechanism. Upon `inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be obvious that the contact carrying arms are arranged to be alternately actuated, that is, first one contact set is opened by a cam portlon 60 and then spring closed and subsequently the other set is opened byfanother Vcam por-Y tion 60. y

Primary circuit terminals are indicated at and 71 and the Icurrent flow with the circuit closed through the primary coil is from terminal 70 through (gonductor Y 73,- spring 54, carrying arm 43, contact points 50 and 51, conductor 74. spring 54 of the second 'breaker mechanism, arm 43, points 51 and conditions .of low engine speeds the high' pffrtions 80 thereof are slightly staggered relatively. to the portions 60 of cam As the cam rollers of the breaker mechanisms extend opposite both cams they are held 1n speeds with the shaft'turning comparatively' slow the time element is sufiicient to allow adequate saturation of the primary coil without choking. As the enginel ranges to its higher speeds the increase in speed of the shaft is compensated for by shortening the composite actuating dwell until the high portions 60' and 80 align at very high speeds. This is effected by the centrifugal device hereinbefore described, and as the shaft speed'increases the -closure range between actuating portions of the cams increases.

The distributing device comprises an arm 90 mounted for rotation with the shaft 3 at the-top, and carrying a contact 91 adapted to coperate successively with a-plurality of secondary circuit contacts 92 arranged in an annular row in a distrihuter 'head or cap 93 of bakelite 4or other suitable insulating material. The common high tension contact is shown at 94 and is connected electrically to the contact 91 by a brush 95.

Inasmuch as the two breakers of the interruptervmechanism are mounted respectively on separate plates,'the screw and slot securing means of one plate provides for relative adjustment of the breakers so that they may be properly timed.

`As many changes could be made in the `above construction andas many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof it is intended that all matter set forth in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall4 be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lVhat I claim is 1. In ignition apparatus, in combination,

a pain of primary' circuit interrupter de-y ing means providing for relative adjust.

ment between the supporting means and j usted position.

2. In ignition apparatus, in combination, a pair of primary circuit contact sets, leach set comprisingtwo contacts relatively Inovable into and out of engagement, a plate upon which one set is mounted, another plate upon which the other set is mounted,

and means providing for relative adjustment between the plates and providing for the securing of same in different adjusted positions.

3. In ignition apparatus,\in combination, a casing, n supportmounted in the casing, a contact set comprising a fixed and movlll able contact, said set being arranged in said support, a second support mounted in said casing, a second-contact setl comprising a fixed and movable contact, ,said second set heilig arranged on said second support, and means having provision for the relative ladjustment of said supports and the securing of saine in relatively adjusted positions.

4. In ignition apparatus, in combination, a casing, a support mounted in the casing` a contact set comprising a fixed and movable contact, said set being arranged in said support, a second support mounted in said asing. a second contact-set comprising a fixed `and movable contact," Said second set being arranged on said second support, and means having provision for the relative adjustment of said supports and the securing of same in relatively adjusted positions, said casing serving in part as a means for guiding one ofsaid supports in the adjusting opeiation. v

In ignition apparatus, in combination, a casing, a support mounted in the casing, a contact set comprising` a fixed and movlable contact, said set being arranged on said support, a second sfipport inoiinted in said casing, a second -contact. set cimpris- .ing a fixed and movable cont-act, said second set being arranged on said second support, means having provision for the relative adjustment of said supports and the securing of same in relatively adjusted po,- si-tions, and arotatable shaft penetrating the casing between said supports and having means for actuating said contact sets.

6. In ignition apparatus, in combination, a casing. a support mounted in the casing, a contact set comprising a lfixed and movable contact. said set being arranged onv said support, a second support mounted in said casing. a secondicontact set comprising a fixed and movable contact, said second set being arranged on said` second support, means having provision for the relative adjustment of said supports and the securing of same in relatively adjusted positions, and a rotatable shaft vpenetrating the casing betweenv said supports and having means for periodically and alternately actuating said contact sets.

contact set comprising a fixed and movable contact. said setbeing arranged on said support, a second support mounted in said casing` a second contact set comprising a fixed and movable contact, said second set being arranged o n said second support, means'havingprovision for the relative' adjustment of said supports and the securing of samein relatively adjusted positions` a rotatable shaft penetrating the casing be\ tween said supports and having means for periodically and alternately actuating said contact sets, and means adapted automate cally to vaiv the effective length of said actuating means.

8. In ignition apparatus having a pri- \m`ar v circuit for internal combustion engines, in combination, a casing. a contact set therein comprising a fixed contact and a movable contact, means adapted to bc driven from the engine for intermittenti) acting on the movable contact to open said circuit and comprising means controlled bv var ving engine speeds for yvaiving the in- :urtivedistance between said first means.

l). In ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines. in combination. a contact set comprising a fixed and a movable contact, a rotatable shaft, nu) vable-contact actuating means carried b v said shaft comprising spaced variable length actuator portions. and speed responsive means for var ving the length of said actuator portions to decrease Aor increase the distance between them.

10.111 ignition apparatus for internal vcombustion engines` in combination. a conand supporting said pair, a` shaft jouriialed in said casing. a centrifugal device operated from said shaft, a cam connected to said centrifugal device and having a plurality of spaced actuating wipers, a second cam driven directly from said shaft. arranged adjacent said rst'cam and having a pluralityv of spaced'actuating wipers which at low Vshaftspeeds ai'e staggered to act with the wipers of the first cam to elongate the actuating dwell, said centrifugal device acting at the higher shaft speeds to cause relative movement between the cams to shorten the X dwell. 7. In ignition apparatus, in combination, -a casing, asupport mounted in the casing, a

12. In ignition apparatus, in combination, a pair of circuit breakers arranged in series in a` primary circuit. a casing, housing and supporting said pair, a shaft journaled in said casing, a centrifugal device operated from said shaft, a cam connected to said centrifugal device .and having a plurality of spaced actuating' Wipers. a .second cam driven directlj'v from said shaft., arranged adjacent said first cam and having a pluralitvof spaced actuating wipers which at low yshaft speeds are staggered to act with the wipers of the first cam to elongate the actuating dwell, saidcentrifugal device acting at the higher shaft speeds to cause rela- 'tive movement between the cams to shorten the' dwell, and means for limiting the action of said centrifugal deviceivlienftlie wipers are substantially alined. 13. In an ignition device for internal com- 4said contacts periodically` andiineans adapted automatically to increase the dista-nce between said spaced means as the enginev speed increases.

d4'. In an ignition devite forinternal coni-l bustion engines, incombination, a breaker adapted to be included in a primarycircuit and comprising a pair of relativel)7 engage.

able and disengageable contacts. spring means tending to cause engagementot said contacts." spaced "means acting in opposition to said spring meaiis'adapted todisengage said contacts periodically, meansadapte an- .tomaticallxv to increasethe distance between.

said last means as the engine speed increases,

and a distributingde'vice comprising amul tiplicity of fixed contactsjand-a movable contact movable in timed relation with said disengaging means.

15. In -an ignition :device foiinternal combustion' engines, in combination, a

breaker adapted to `be included in a prir'naryA spring means tending to causey engagement of said contacts, spaced means acting in opposition to said spring means adapted to disengage vsaid contacts periodically, means adapted automatically to increase the distance betiveen-sa'idA last. means `as the engine speed inertases'ivthout varying the time of contac't'di'sengaging relatively to the engine. and a distributing device comprising afinultiplicitvof fixed" contacts and a movahlecontact movable in timed relation with said diseiigaging means. i

416.111 any-'ignition device, in combination, a casing, a rotatable shaft journaled therein, a plate rotatable with said shaft, arms -pivotally 'moiinted on said plate, springs for yieldingly holding said arms againstthef'action of centrifugal force. a set of breaker contacts, an actuator driven from said shaft. comprising spaced-poi`- tions for periodically opening the breaker contacts and holding them o en for a limited time. a member connecte to the swinging ends of said pivotally mounted arms, said membery having 'spaced high portions adapted to lag slightly behind the high por! .tions of the actuatorto :forma composite dwell.

i' WILLIAM B. MOSES. 

